Sudbury Nickel Capital Wolves forward Jean Giguere battles for a loose puck in front of the Kapuskasing Flyers net during Great North Midget League action at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex on Sunday.Keith Dempsey/For The Sudbury Star

The reason for all of this is that the former staff of Peter Michelutti Jr. and Albert Corradini, and the entire 2017-18 team that hosted the national midget AAA championships last April in Sudbury, are gone. That’s because of a drawn-out split between the former staff of the team and the Sudbury Minor Hockey Association and the AAA hockey co-operation committee.

As a result, the defending GNML champions were slow out of the gate to sign and attract players, and they began with tryouts deep into the off-season, leading to lower than usual turnout at training camp.

Even Dickinson, who served as an assistant coach with the team last season, didn’t become the team’s new bench boss until mid- to late-August.

Because of that, there are no expectations, the head coach noted.

“All along the association and the Sudbury Nickel Caps and the AAA selection committee, Sudbury Minor, we all worked very hard to put this team on the ice,” Dickinson said.

Asked if the Nickel Caps ever considered pulling the plug on their season, Dickinson replied: “It never really came close.”

That’s because with every tryout, more and more players turned up, Dickinson said.

And so they march on with 17 players, some of whom have never played AAA hockey.

“Because we’ve had no returning players from last year, it’s a total rebuilding year,” Dickinson said. “As long as we’re better in December than we are today, and as long we’re better in February and March than we were in December, I’d be happy.”

Although the season is still young, with only two games on their resume as of Monday, Dickinson believes the team’s defence — which includes the likes of Avery Chisholm, Spencer Dickson, Graeme Siren, Jacob Fahey, Jimmy Blanchard, Ethan Corcoran, and Ethan Bronicheski and Bradey Smith, both of which are listed as a forward and defenceman — can help this young team find success.

“That’s the strong point of the team, and our goaltending has been incredible,” Dickinson said.

The goaltending consists of Ryan Teddy and Owen Kilganon.

Basically, the Nickel Caps have a decent mix of talent this season, but this team has set the standard so high in the past, with a number of championships and accolades to their name, that expectations have to be tamed for what is, so far, anyway, an inexperienced and young roster for this level of hockey.

“We have some work to do but we’ll see if we can attract new bodies moving forward,” Dickinson said.

Those additions may or may not come, and the Nickel Caps may or may surpass expectations, but one thing is for sure, Dickinson will put his mark on the team.

“We work very, very hard,” Dickinson said. “Our kids don’t give up. And that’s encouraging. I don’t want to ever see them stop. I don’t want to ever see them quit, I don’t care about the score.”

Ultimately, the program is about “raising young men,” he said, more than posting wins.

“I want them to make sure that they understand that, yeah, it’s fun and it’s fun to play here and compete, but they have to leave here, too, at some point and enter the real world.